Book Review for Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan

 

Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan

Published:  May 20, 2025 by William Morrow

Taken from Goodreads:  A modern comedy of manners about two mothers, the best-laid plans, and one very memorable wedding

Penelope and Chase make a lovely couple. She’s a bubbly Southern Californian with a killer work ethic. He is smart and charming, with political aspirations. They are planning a spectacular California wedding, wrapped in peonies and thousands of little white lights. Everyone is excited about it­­­­­­—except their mothers.

The mother of the bride, suave, Greek-born Alexa Diamandis, was a single mother by choice and does not understand why any woman would ever get married. The mother of the groom, Abigail Blakeman, is a garden-club stalwart firmly planted in coastal Connecticut. She thinks the whole enterprise would be so much easier if the wedding were at the golf club. When a sudden twist of fate calls them into action, these two very different women are forced to take over the wedding planning.

My Thoughts:  I am a mother of the bride as I write this review.   There are so many thoughts and actions in this book that I could relate to.  I enjoyed watching Abigail and Alexa make the wedding happen while keeping the bride happy.   It is a hard place to be and they had a few missteps and even more successes.   

Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding is a fun read.    There was no urgency for me to finish the book, the need to know was not there, but I enjoyed the family dynamics.  There was a unique relationship between the MOB and MOG, it was entirely relatable. 

This is a fun and easy read.   The storyline flows easily and is very entertaining.   If you have ever planned a wedding you will find something to relate to. 

 

Thank you William Morrow for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

Meet Lian Dolan(taken from her website):  Lian Dolan is a writer and talker. She’s the USA Today Bestselling author of The Marriage Sabbatical, a People Magazine Best Book of the Week, published by  William Morrow in April 2024.  Her other books are Lost and Found in Paris, The Sweeney Sisters, Helen of Pasadena and Elizabeth the First Wife- all LA Times bestsellers. She’s written regular columns for O, The Oprah Magazine, Pasadena Magazine and Working Mother Magazine. She’s also written for TV, radio and websites.  In 2024, she was inducted into the Vroman’s Walk of Fame for her contributions to the literary and philanthropic life of Pasadena. Her next book, Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding, will be published in May 2025.

Lian is the producer and host of Satellite Sisters, the award-winning talk show she created with her four real sisters. Satellite Sisters began life as a syndicated radio show on ABC Radio, bringing lively talk and interviews to the airwaves. The Satellite Sisters interviewed everyone from Nora Ephron to Big Bird. The show was honored with 13 Gracie Allen Awards for Excellence in Women’s Media. From 2009 to 2023, Satellite Sisters remained a top-rated podcast for women. In 2017, Lian was honored as a Podcast Pioneer by Women in Podcasting.

A speaker who combines humor and heart, Lian has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CBS Sunday Morning and The Today Show and many local TV stations. She’s been a featured speaker at the LA Times Festival of Books, the Santa Barbara Celebrity Authors Lunch, the Literary Guild of Orange County Festival of Women Authors and dozens of other events at libraries, book stores, schools and women’s organizations across the country.

Lian graduated from Pomona College with a degree in Classics. She lives in Pasadena, California with her husband Berick Treidler and two adult sons who live nearby but don’t come over as often as they should

 

 

Book Review for The Last Secret Agent: My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Lines by Pippa Latour, Jude Dobson

 

The Last Secret Agent: My Life as a Spy Behind Nazi Lines by Pippa Latour, Jude Dobson

Published:  May 13, 2025 by St. Martin's Press

Genre:  Nonfiction, Memoir, History, WWII

Taken from Goodreads:  After decades of silence, the last surviving World War II British spy reveals the real, untold story of her time as a secret agent in the deadly world of Nazi France.

From a unique and singular voice comes the incredible true story of the last surviving undercover British female operative in WW2. Pippa Latour parachuted into occupied France in 1944 to conduct sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. Selling soap to German soldiers and hiding codes on a piece of ribbon, she sent back crucial information about troop positions in the lead up to D-Day, and continued her work until Paris was liberated. From her childhood as an orphan in South Africa to her years as an undercover agent, Pippa's story is that of a woman determined to honor her principles and risk her life to fight against the greatest evil of the 20th century.

The Last Secret Agent is a posthumously published memoir, co-written with journalist Jude Dobson. Pippa was decorated highly for her actions, including being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and receiving the Légion d’Honneur in France. For years, Pippa kept her involvement in the war effort secret from everyone, including her family, but for the first time, her story can now be told in full.

 

My Thoughts:  The Last Secret Agent is a real life story told by the person who lived a life that books are written about.   Almost every WWII historical fiction book I have read has a SOE agent in the story.  The Last Secret Agent is a firsthand nonfiction account of Pippa Latour’s life as a SOE agent. 

The book was written as I would expect Pippa to speak her story.  I could hear her voice as I read her story.  I could see the life she was living in the descriptions of her words.  The amazing places she travelled, whether in her everyday life or during her journeys as a spy.  The places she travelled, the people she met, and the way she lived had me in awe of her strength and willingness to put herself on the line to do her part during WWII. 

I love that she kept her life as a SOE agent a secret from everyone until her son’s found her on the internet, only then did she tell her story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

Meet the authors (taken from Goodreads):  PIPPA LATOUR was the last surviving SEO agent, serving in France until its liberation. For seventy years, Pippa's contributions to the war effort were largely unheralded, but she was finally given her due in 2014 when she was awarded France's highest military decoration, the Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur (Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour). She died in 2023 at age 102.

 

Jude Dobson (taken from her website):  Although my first chosen career was as a registered nurse, I soon got sidetracked into television and have stayed in media since 1989. I was the presenter of six different prime-time lifestyle shows through the 1990s and eventually hosted my own, 5:30 with Jude. Here’s the list of TV shows I have presented over the years. Come the 2000s I then created my own broadcast projects which still saw me on camera here and there, but my focus really moved to being behind the camera. I did however get talked into going on Dancing with the Stars in 2019, which was somewhat scary. But hey, life is meant to be a bit scary at times.

In 2002, after 13 years of being a presenter fulltime, I set up my own production company, with the intention of pitching and producing broadcast content I wanted to make. This enabled me to grow a new skill set of producing, directing, writing, and researching. I also find the funders to make those ideas come to life. Essentially, I like taking things that interest me and making them into stories that others will hopefully find interesting too. I am, in short, a storyteller.

I am also the founder of the NZ parenting website, Raising Children. Bringing up little people is a hugely important job. Speaking of which, I’m married to Graeme, and the best productions in my life have been our three children – who are now lovely young adults.

 

 

Blog Tour for Their Mended Hearts by Angie Cole with a GIVEAWAY

 

Their Mended Hearts
Angie Cole
(Cardinal Creek)
Publication date: March 25th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He’s a firefighter haunted by tragedy; she’s a nurse who never stopped loving him. Jon and Katie find themselves drawn back together, bound by shared history and the promise of healing and hope.

Jon Clemmons, a devoted firefighter, carries the heavy burden of guilt from losing his sister in a tragic accident. His pain runs deep, and he’s learned to keep others at a distance, afraid to let anyone see his scars.

Katie Deluca, a compassionate nurse, and Jon’s first love, has her own wounds, but she’s never stopped caring for him. When they’re reunited at a family wedding, old sparks reignite, and with them, old hurts that need mending.

As Jon and Katie draw closer, Jon’s troubled past, family secrets, and a volatile temper threaten to unravel the bond between them. Katie’s unwavering love gives him hope, but fears of reliving their painful past linger.

Will they find strength in each other to break free from the grip of old grief, or will their love slip away once more?

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

My journey as a romance author is deeply rooted in my personal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. The profound impact of the losses I have endured, including the passing of my grandparents and my parents, has shaped my perspective on life and love.

My own love story is one of healing and finding joy after heartache, and it mirrors the themes I explore in my novels.

As a survivor of grief and a believer in the power of love, I channel my experiences into crafting stories that resonate with the complexities and triumphs of the human heart. My writing is a testament to the idea that love can emerge from the most unexpected places, offering hope and healing. The one thing that can be learned from grief is that it’s a very personal experience and isn’t the same for every person.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Bookbub / Amazon

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Book Blitz for Exiles on Earth by Bea Tama with a GIVEAWAY

Exiles on Earth
Bea Tama
Publication date: May 16th 2025
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Stranded alien. Fierce farmer. One blown-up barn.

Ellen’s barely keeping her family farm afloat, clinging to dreams of what it could be—with a little luck and a lot of hard work. What she doesn’t need is a spaceship crashing onto her land, or the massive scaled alien who steps out of the wreckage. Now the barn she wanted to convert to a bed and breakfast is shattered all over the lawn, and this huge scaly dude is to blame.

Elia is a space-faring clone, bred for loyalty and survival. He fought for the chance to enter the prestigious Mating Games, only to be exiled for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, stranded on an uncharted world, he and his crew are at the mercy of an infuriated human female with fire in her eyes and no warriors of her own to protect her.

She is not fragile. But she is vulnerable. And something deep in Elia wants her. All he has to do is rebuild what he destroyed and guard her land and her dreams as fiercely as if they were his own.

But Ellen isn’t looking for a mate. And Elia is running out of time to prove that she should.

🔥 A sizzling sci-fi romance featuring a caring, exiled alien, a determined human heroine, and slow-burn tension that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of aliens on earth, forced proximity, and fierce heroines who refuse to back down. 🔥

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“I promise we will not harm you. You have my word, our word, whatever assurances you need.” Ilia glances at the manacles, heaped in a pile in front of him. “We would never hurt any female.” His breath catches, scales flashing red, like a ruby. “Not deliberately.”

There’s something there, I know it.

“And yet, you blew up Ellen’s barn,” Laura says sternly.

“My deepest apologies. I steered as well as I could,” Arture, the pilot, explains.

“Nevare told us there was life in the way,” one of the triplets adds. “We avoided all loss of it.”

“And I saved you,” Ilia adds quietly, eyes sparking with challenge as he locks gazes with me, but then dropping his eyes again like he’s not allowed to look at me.

I’m grateful for him saving me from the explosion, same as he’s hopefully thankful I helped him subdue the robot. But looking at the scattered remains of my barn, hot flames burn in my chest.

“I wouldn’t have needed saving if you hadn’t literally dropped into my life and broken what remained of it. You might be happy as Larry once you fix your ship, but what am I going to do? I can’t raise money for a business, let alone repairs! You’ve really ruined everything, you know.”

He weathers my anger, an immoveable rock kneeling in the mud. “We’ll fix it,” he says, a rumble in his voice. “We’ll devote our labor to restoring your building before our ship. In order to do that, I ask you not to turn us in, unless the work isn’t to your satisfaction.”

I barely stop my jaw from dropping, the angry fire inside doused with cold. Wow.

“You’ll rebuild the barn to my specifications,” Arabella chimes in.

“What?” I hiss to her.

Arabella pulls me down close to her, and Laura and Nicole lean in. “Ellen, this is literally the answer to your prayers. Six guys straight from planet hot who will build the bed and breakfast just as you need it to be.” Arabella grins widely. Her smile wavers a little, but she’s always saying to take advantage of what the universe delivers, riding the waves and learning to surf what comes our way.

Is this it?

“They could be dangerous,” Laura whispers, glaring at the men beyond our huddle. “This play-nice attitude could switch at any time.”

I nod, taking that into account. “They could have started aggressively, they didn’t. And Floss likes him. They can’t leave the farm, or they’ll get caught. We can turn them in at any time.”

But my gut lurches at the idea of turning the big guys over to the police or the army. They’d lock them away, or use them for target practice. My gaze strays over to their hopeful faces, all awaiting what I’ll say.

Ilia raises his head. “If I may, I have a suggestion. A hostage, to guarantee our behavior.”

“A hostage?” My mouth goes dry.

“Yes.” He offers up his wrists, holding up the chains he’d been bound with. “Take me prisoner when we’re not working and, if my crew frighten you, kill me.”

“Drok na,” one of the triplets mutters, but while the other men’s nostrils flare, they stay quiet, eyes on the ground.

Author Bio:

Hi! I’m Bea Tama. Well, kind of. This is one of my few pen names; where I write about love falling from the stars, Becky Tama writes romantasy and fae adventures. Our other pen name is a USA Today Bestselling Author, but we don’t let that go to our heads.

I live in the UK not that far from Bristol, where Exiles on Earth is set, and secretly I dream of setting up an agri-business alongside writing about gorgeous aliens coming to help me with it.

Instagram

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Book Mail for the week ending 5/16

 

Built to Last by Lexi Blake

From New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake, discover The Park Avenue Promise Series...

Three young women make a pact in high school—
to always be friends and to one day make it big in Manhattan

Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn

New summer romance from the queen of steamy romance . . .

The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay

Juliette Fay—known for her “well-drawn characters and vibrant historical backdrops” (Library Journal)—transports us to 1920s America with this big-hearted tale of two very different women who must learn to trust each other as one tries to save her family and the other to save herself.

The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan  (Expected Publish Date:  August 12th 2025)

A ninth generation Appalachian herself, Archer Sullivan brings the mountains of North Carolina to life in The Witch’s Orchard, a wonderfully atmospheric novel that introduces private investigator Annie Gore.

Book Review for After Paris by Mary Ellen Taylor

 

After Paris by Mary Ellen Taylor

Published:  May 13, 2025 by Montlake

Genre:  Historical Fiction

 

Taken from Goodreads:  From the author of The Brighter the Light comes a haunting tale of hope that spans generations, intertwining the lives of three women who fight for survival in 1940s France and present-day Virginia.

At twenty-five, Ruby Nevins has already endured more than most. But after two years of battling cancer, she’s warily determined to move forward. Researching a new project about a French actress, she soon uncovers an old diary that will change her life forever…

Cécile, the “it girl” of early 1940s French cinema, vanished from Nazi-occupied Paris in 1942. Sylvia Rousseau, Cécile’s dressmaker and confidante, left that same year. Working to piece together the truth behind Cécile’s disappearance and Sylvia’s extraordinary life, Ruby recognizes the women as kindred spirits. They risked their hearts and lives to aid the Resistance, and each day was a struggle to survive.

Ruby knows her cancer could come back, but she’s learning to embrace the future rather than fear it. If Cécile and Sylvia could live their lives in the shadow of death, so can Ruby. Because she knows there’s so much life—and love—to fight for.

 

My Thoughts:  Oh my gosh!  After Paris is phenomenal. The French film industry during wartime is not something that I know much about and After Paris has intrigued me to learn more.  Cécile is a French actress trying to stay alive, work, and keep those who are important to her alive while becoming an “it-girl.”   Ruby’s quest to find out what happen to Cécile while also keeping her learning out to live life again after winning her battle with cancer is her own type of battle.

 

After Paris is a dual timeframe book. I enjoyed that neither timeframe got more time than the other.  Both timeframes were enthralling to me.  I was invested in Cécile and Ruby’s story, as they were both fighting their own wars.  Cécile and Ruby were lucky to have people in their corners to support them and lift them up as needed. 

 

As I came to the end of the book, it was tied together perfectly.  There are no cliffhangers for any characters, the characters lives are completed as best they can be.  I love that I was not left with questions and needing more.

 

Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. 

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

Meet Mary Ellen Taylor (taken from herwebsite):  Amazon Charts bestselling author, Mary Ellen Taylor’s love of her home state Virginia is evident in her contemporary women’s fiction, including After Paris, The Promise of Tomorrow, Winter Cottage, Spring House, and Honeysuckle Season. She brings her new home on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to life in her latest novel The Brighter The Light and When the Rain Ends.

 

As do so many people, her protagonists search for their place in the world, exploring issues of family, home, love and belonging. Inevitably, Mary Ellen’s stories interweave setting, history and mysteries that span past and present.

 

Follow Mary Ellen Taylor on Facebook or Instagram

Available Now! The Secretary : Volume 2 by Britney King

 

Title: The Secretary: Volume 2

Series: The After Hours Series, Book 2

Author: Britney King

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Release Date: May 15, 2025

For fans of Severance and The Girl Before, The Secretary is a razor-sharp psychological thriller where ambition is a trap, power is a game, and saying "yes" could cost everything.

"I’ve been watching you. Waiting for you. And now, it’s your turn."

There's no escaping Shergar Corp.

Lena Blackwell wanted a fresh start. A new city. A new job. A clean slate.

Then she met Gillian Martin.

Polished. Poised. Perfect. A little too perfect—like she’s rehearsing lines someone else gave her. Like she isn’t real anymore.

And Ellis Harrison is the reason why.

Shergar Corp’s founder. The man who built everything. The man who decides who lives and who vanishes. He doesn’t make threats. He makes people disappear.

Then Lena finds the note.

Do you have what it takes to be in my world? Check yes or no.

It reads like a dare.

It functions like a death sentence.

The deeper she digs, the more the walls close in. The more she resists, the more she loses—her past, her choices, her way out.

Because Gillian once stood where Lena stands now. And if Lena isn’t careful, one day, someone new will stand where she is.

Holding the same note.

Reading the same words.

Asking the same question.

And then?

They’ll bury what’s left of her.

Bestselling author Britney King pulls you into Shergar Corp—a place where ambition is a trap, memories are rewritten, and saying yes might be the last choice you ever make…

 

 

Britney King lives in Texas with her family, two literary dogs, one ridiculous cat, and a partridge in a pear tree. When she’s not wrangling these characters, she writes psychological, domestic, and romantic thrillers that dive deep into the complexities of human nature.

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